Gun store employees...they just don't get it.

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I sympathize with the gun store folks who have to deal with strange customers all day long.:rolleyes:

However, here are some rules to follow if you want my business -- they should not be hard to follow:

1. Talk to me within, say, five minutes after I enter your shop, even if it is to say "Sorry, we are really swamped today, it will be a while before I can help you. Please feel free to browse around, until we can talk."

2. Don't be afraid to say "I don't know, but I will try to find out".

3. Don't ignore customers in favor of gossiping with your friends.

4. If I want a .45 acp handgun, don't try to sell me a .500 Nitro Express safari rifle.

5. Don't argue with me and tell me that there is no such thing as (whatever) when it is on the shelf behind your head.

6. I am not interested in your politics, your social life, your sexual expoits, or how much you had to drink last night. Please leave such out of our conversation.

7. Purchasing a $2,000 firearm from you 2 days ago is probably a pretty good indication that I am not trying to just waste your time when I ask to look at another gun. Go ahead and make believe that you are happy to show me that gun, even if you are not.

8. If a customer makes you a price offer, even if you think it is ridiculous, don't get mad: You can just say "no, thanks".

There, now we can all be happy.:D
 
Gunstore Employees

I've been into several gun stores, gun shops, whatever around here and the employees act like security people. Here you must to have your IL. FOID card on the counter when you handle a gun. Sales ppl houver around you as you examine a firearm. Their eyes dart around the room as they sort of half way pay attention to you.
I do my own research and when I make a purchase I know exactly what I'm looking for and what to look for.
 
Here in Indy, Plainfield Shooting Supplies is absolutely the best. Bob, the owner, is the greatest guy in the world. Everyone there is very friendly, Bob offers great prices, very good prices on trades. And they always treat their customers with respect. I always see the same coming from customers toward them.
I see the same guys hanging out in there. They remind me of Hank, Dale, etc on King of the Hill.
So I count myself lucky to have one of the good shops.
 
My son (22 yrs old) went into my favorite gunshop to handle some rifles and a new clerk told him he didn't know how to handle a rifle which p.o.'d him right off but another clerk there who knew who he was straighted the first clerk out in no time. The first clerk just seen a young man that has tattoos and wears his hat backwards. My son has been going into that store with me every since he was 2 or 3 and able to walk.
 
A tale of two gunshops

We had two good shops here, now we got one. Both are "mom & pop" affairs, concrete floors and all. But, several years ago, "Pop" from one shop had a VERY massive heart attack and died. "Mom" kept the store, but now stocks frilly doo-dads and will order firearms if you pay in full when you order. A couple boxes of ammo on a shelf, some oddball reloading stuff that quite literally has dust on it. The other shop, named "Stockers", is owned by an opiniated, overweight, cigar smoking retiree who will bend over backward to make a sale, will hang up on vendors to talk to a new customer, knows guns, knows people who know what he doesn't, always has a good selection of new and used stuff and treated my wife like a queen when she was shopping for a CCW pistol. My wife was looking for snap caps for her .380 ACP, couldn't find them anywhere (req'd for the CCW course she took). This guy made phone calls, drove to another shop, bought them, and GAVE them to my wife because she was taking the course at his shop and he didn't stock what he said she needed. It's been a long time since I've been to the other shop.
 
TheEgg said:
I sympathize with the gun store folks who have to deal with strange customers all day long.:rolleyes:

However, here are some rules to follow if you want my business -- they should not be hard to follow:
Click to expand...

All right, fair enough. Here's a few rules to follow if you don't want those gun store folks cursing you under their breath as they fill out your 4473.

1. I'm a fellow citizen, not your servant. A little bit of courtesy goes a long way.

2. Don't be surprised or get angry if I don't know everything about every firearm ever made. If I don't know something, I'll be happy to find it for you if you'll have a little patience.

3. You are NOT the only customer in the store, especially the week before rifle season starts here in NW Pennsylvania. If you wait until the day before the season starts, don't be surprised if you have to wait 45 minutes to get a hunting license.

4. Yes, I'm a college age kid. That does not mean that I know nothing about the guns that I'm selling. I'm also not your kid, so don't talk to me as if I am.

5. Don't get angry at me because you have to provide ID and fill out two forms to buy a handgun. If you want this to change, then write to your congressman. In the meantime, here's a pen, let me know if there's anything on the form you don't understand.

6. Also, don't get angry at me because your background check takes a while, or is delayed. Again, I don't make these rules, I just make sure the paperwork is filled out properly.

7. Knowing the name of the store's owner doesn't make you royalty. If you want to be treated as such, go marry a princess.

8. Don't abuse the store's firearms. Again, don't abuse the store's firearms. That means don't dry-fire them without at least asking first, don't drop magazines on the floor or counter, and don't snap the cylinder closed on revolvers. Capiche?

9. Don't hover around asking stupid questions and second-guessing everything I do while I mount a scope on your rifle. It's not helpful, in fact it's quite distracting.

There, now we can all be happy. :p ;)
 
I've been to a few stores in this part of the country and I have settled on one. Really nice folks and they really know their guns. They have never tried to push something on me that I didn't like.
"cept that S & W .500 which I couldn't even hardly hold up" :) He said it would make a good CCW gun for me. LOL.

Everytime I go in to look they always ask me which one I want to take home and act like they are going to ring it up. :p

I went to one and he did have a great selection but he was too busy with his burger to help anyone and his wife was too busy watching you to see if you were going to take something. I hate to even touch something in stores like that.
 
Customer Service

Why customer service really matters. True automobile story - I was in College in the 70's, also working full time after classes. Spent 3 years saving money for a new car. Went to BUY one of the new, fast selling Honda cars. The salesman was rude and condescending, but I really wanted a new Honda.
Remember, CASH in pocket, I tried to negotiate with him.

I don't know if he was having a bad day, didn't like the way I looked or thought my questions were stupid - and I DON"T CARE. All I know is that I will still not buy or even look at a Honda vehicle more than 30 years later.

It is also telling that the Dealership went out of business in the early '80's

This one rude salesman cost Honda my business for more than 30 years. I have bought many cars since then, but not a single Honda.

Hate your customers all you want, salesmen - consider them rude, ignorant or a waste of your time - but some of us will not ever buy from you or your company. If your job is important to you, the customer is the ONLY thing that matters.

With three large, well stocked gun stores in my area, I spend my money with the store that treats me best.

:)
 
...for every rude and arrogant salesmen there are just as many rude and arrogant customers...
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I've worked in retail before (not firearms, but in many ways retail is retail). Sure there are rude customers, but its not the customer's "job" to be nice ... it is the salesman's, however.

Did you go in the store to buy a gun or make friends?
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Do you work in a gun store to make friends?

This is a simple business transaction, person A wants person B to give them money for product. Simple. It is primarily the responsibility of the salesman to facilitate this transaction and it is the salesman (and his boss the shop owner) who suffer most if the transaction doesn't happen.

I can surely sympathize with those who work behind a counter in retail, its not the easiest or most glamorous job, but when it comes to gun shops I think the percentage of bad sales people vs. bad customers is MUCH less balanced than other retail businesses.

Part of the problem is that a large percentage of gun shops are run by guys for whom guns are their hobby ... they are not business men, but are hobbyists with a store front. Also, just because you know something about something doesn't mean you can sell it ... sales is a specialized skill (doesn't matter if its guns, cars, home electronics or hamburgers), its a skill I recognize that I don't posses, which is why I don't do it professionally.

Of course for me living here in Colorado Springs, I'm spoiled ... we have several good gun shops with friendly, helpful people behind the counters.


I still find these kind of threads ironic since there are so many "Buy at your local shop to avoid the idiots behind the gun counter at [insert big box store name here]" threads here :p
 
Here in Roanoke, Va, there are several good dealers. As I was browsing, two young guys already in the store was asking tons of questions to the clerk. They're all nice guys and was politely answering them. I was talking to another guy there about Houge grips. The guys then asked if they are having a CCW soon(they also have defense classes). "Yup, 2 weeks". Guy one:"Cool, we would like to sign up". Clerk:"Have a pistol?" Guy two:"Nope, we're both 19 years old". The poor clerk explained that you need to be 21 to legally own a pistol and to be part of the class. The guys then left. The clerk just shakes his head. I guess I can understand the frustration on the clerks part. Some people should have some sort of a clue before entering a gun store. The guy I was talking with said "All the time". Apparentlly this happens a lot. But they all are still friendly. Oy vey!
 
We have a bunch of decent shops in our area, but we frequent them a lot, so they recognize us when Missashot and I walk in. Our recent problem was yesterday. We had some Xmas money that was burning a hole in our pocket and most of the shops were closed because of the Holidays. One shop won't even reopen until the 2nd, so.....we'll have to hang on to the money a little longer.
 
There are actually two shops in my town, but one is so far from me that I rarely go there. And that one rarely if ever has what I'm looking for anyway. (It's actually an indoor shooting range with a gun shop on the side. "We don't have it but can order it for you," is a frequent refrain that I hear when I call up to ask if they have a particular gun.)

So, the one I do frequent is just up the street from me. I often bike there.

They've been in business there for over 30 years. It's owned by an older fellow, sometimes nice, sometimes sort of flippantly crusty - the only one of the bunch that sometimes seems a bit impatient with my questions - but he's only there (or at least only seen) during about 40% of my visits.

The remainder of the ten or so guys (why so few women in gun sales?) who work there (~five at any one time) are ostensibly experienced, knowledgeable, patient & trusting. At least three are down right kind & friendly; the others are mostly professional. All are 30ish or older.

They NEVER rush me, demonstrate impatience (with the one exception noted above) or hard sell me on guns. (Ammo is different for some reason; they seem to have favorite brands, loadings & strong opinions about ammo. Funny that.)

With guns, I'm allowed to take as much time looking and handling as I wish. They never run short of patience when I ask to see 'that other gun that you just put back in the case one more time', even during busy times. They patiently allow me to ask for differences of opinions among the different employees about makes, models and such. In fact, they seem to enjoy it when differences of opinion pop up.

I've learned that the best times to get good service are NOT Saturdays & weekedays after 5 when the 9-5 crowd pours in after work. (They're open until 6.)

Their prices may be a few bucks above Wally World & Bimart, but I've yet to buy a any of my four guns at the latter two. I'd rather pay extra for the help, advice & selection they offer at my store.

I did buy my shotgun from an out of state dealer, but only because the specific model with the specific features that I was looking for was unavailable for months through their distributors. I gave them the FFL.

Overall, I couldn't ask for a better shop. I congratulate them on their professionalism & knowledge.

Nem
 
One shop I frequent has expanded dramaticly. It's a rare occaison when the owners present or even the manager, who is bussier than a beaver. The three new counterpersons have limited knowledge and will freely admit it. They will go way out of their way to get the answers, check price and availability, etc. I have a lot of respect for these guys. I do a lot of my shopping over the phone and my calls always get returned, with an answer. I'd be pleased to have any of them an employee. It's called attitude and they will go the extra mile. In a former lifetime I've been a stocking dealer and had to put up with the pompus and arrogant to make a sale. Sometimes it's not easy to bite your tongue..............Essex
 
Gun Store Story

I am really new to shooting. I have been to the range 3 times and only to a gun store about 5 times. Usually with a guy friend. I know I am still learning and tire kicking. I will back off asking to see a gun if someone else is around because I know at this point I do not have the funds to purchase a gun.

I finally went into a local store by myself. It actually took for me some courage to do this. Only people there were the 2 employees and they were filling out forms for something. There was a nod or 2 of hello, but no acknowledgement. I wandered around and kept coming back to one gun in the front case right beside where the 2 guys were. I bent down to get a better look. Nothing from these 2. Then a male customer walks in they said hi to each other. He basically mimicked what I was doing but in front of a different case. One of the salesmen was then over there going did you want to see anything? I just turned and gave a look that said what am I? I watched the clerk's face suddenly fall and when the other customer was like no just browsing, he turned to me and said, "Can I show you anything?" Finally I got to handle the CZ I was looking at. *grins*

I will probably go back to the store. He did apologize and we had a good talk after that. He even said he could work with me on the price since it was a used gun.

Demariana
 
1. Talk to me within, say, five minutes after I enter your shop, even if it is to say "Sorry, we are really swamped today, it will be a while before I can help you. Please feel free to browse around, until we can talk."
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Yes, yes, YES. This is my number one pet peeve w/ gun shops. I walked around Bill's Gun Shop and Range for 20 minutes. All around it, including downstairs to the range and police supply store. No one even said one word to me. I definitely walked out. I stole some free catalogs though.
 
"I see the same guys hanging out in there. They remind me of Hank, Dale, etc on King of the Hill."

You probably don't know this, but I'm the real life Dale. I wear glasses & a hat, I drink Mountain Dew by the ton, I say crazy stuff about the government & love guns. Want my autograph?:D
 
V4Vendetta said:
"I see the same guys hanging out in there. They remind me of Hank, Dale, etc on King of the Hill."

You probably don't know this, but I'm the real life Dale. I wear glasses & a hat, I drink Mountain Dew by the ton, I say crazy stuff about the government & love guns. Want my autograph?:D
Click to expand...
Uh, should we tell him about Red Corn? :p
 
gal I knew tried a $20 bill in her cleavage.

and still couldn't get any questions answered. :)
 
"Uh, should we tell him about Red Corn?"

"He's been around so much bug spray he'd just forget by tomorrow."

Actually one of the few differences between me & Dale* are: I'm not married & never will be. I make leather products instead of exterminating. For $50.00 + expenses however, I will dispose of used mice traps. I don't smoke.

*Fox had to either makes some differences between us or pay me money. They went with the former.:(
 
I must be blessed. No complaints with gun shops in my area. In fact, Gander Mountain just opened a store near me, and the other gun shops have gotten even nicer to people.

I walk into the biggest of the independents, and they've never tried to talk me out of or into another gun. I recently bought a Para Ordnance .45, and I looked at about 10 other models and brands. The guy patiently showed me every gun I pointed at, explained the features, and then went on to the next one. I thanked him, said I'd be back the next day. He probably said to himself, "sure you will."

The next day I did return and bought the Para. I made sure to ask for the same guy, but he wasn't in and they don't work on commission. But I'm sure the message got back to the clerk.

The next size gun shop was opened by former workers at the shop mentioned above. They always have used guns on consignment, milsurp rifles, and will order anything you want. They also carry reloading supplies, magazines, and once in a while a Barrett .50 caliber. Good people to deal with here too.

There's a smaller, newer gun shop in the town next to mine. He's been open a couple of years, and I just bought a Savage bolt gun from him. He will show you anything in his rack with no problems. Also carries the odd milsurp and used guns. A good guy too, but seems to have a couple of 'commandos' hanging around. I had one tell me what junk Dillon stuff was, I had to laugh at that since my friend and I reload with ours constantly. But the owner is a great guy to work with, no problems.

I guess I'm just lucky, or maybe it's how you hit it. I have heard the occasional horror story, just haven't experienced it yet.
 
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